Fence posts



March 16, 1965 P. A. MILLERBERND FENCE POSTS Filed Dec. 5, 1962 1 .llnilh'l INVENTOR PAUL 4. M/LLERBERND BY m. a

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,173,662 FENCE POSTS Paul A. Millerbernd, Winsted, Minn. Filed Dec. 5, 1962, Ser. No. 242,525 9 Claims. (Cl. 256-52) This invention relates to fence posts particularly adapted for use with wire rope, cable, and the like and in particular to a hollow, octagonal, capped post usable in connection with other similar fence posts through which the wire rope extends, the corner posts providing rotatable means whereby the direction of extension of the wire rope may be readily changed and individual cables quickly and easily tightened.

It will be understood that in conventional fences the fencing wire is secured to the individual posts by suitable fastening means. While these particular fencing arrangements may prove suitable for some types of fencing, various disadvantages are readily apparent. Particularly is this true where the fences are to be used in connection with feeding pens and the like where the animals are readily susceptible to injury from conventional fencing of barbed wire.

It has been found that pens constructed using steel cable rather than barbed wire are particularly effective for use as feeding pens because of the rapidity with which the pen may be constructed and because of the lessened likelihood of injury to the animals.

A particular object of the invention lies in a fence post of octagonal shape of sufficient length to provide a base to be imbedded in soil or concrete and which will extend a desired amount above the ground or mounting surface. The octagonal post has sides through which apertures extend, the apertures on a given side being in spaced aligned relation. The apertures of related sides are in registrable alignment, some of the apertures being in opposed relation to the apertures of another side, and some apertures being in perpendicular relation to each other. As will be apparent from the foregoing, a wire rope may extend in one direction through opposed apertures, or be changed in line of direction by having the wire rope extend through apertures which are perpendicular to each other.

A further object of the present invention lies in a post which is hollow and of octagonal shape having the apertures in a particular arrangement, at least some of the apertures being perpendicularly registrable with each other. Where the post is to be used as a corner post, the post includes internally a rotatable means such as a hollow tube adjacent the vertex of an angle formed by two adjacent sides of an octagonal post, the wire rope extending into the interior of the post and around the tube and outwardly through an aperture at right angles to the first aperture through which the cable entered. Upon tightening the cable, the rotatable tube rotates permitting the cable to be readily tightened without frictional engagement of the cable in the apertures of the post. As will be readily apparent, the entire cable may be tightened from one end of the fence because of the lack of frictional engagement of the cable at the corner posts.

A further object of the present invention lies in a hollow octagonal post having a peaked cap end which is detachable from the octagonal post. It has been determined that the attractiveness and efficiency of a metal post is increased by the shape of the end cap. Accordingly, in the present invention a cap has been provided which will tend to shed water and snow readily and which will be attractive in appearance.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a post which may be used in a fence, together with similar posts through which one or several wires may "ice extend to form a fence which may be readily adapted for either small or large animals.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fence which may be readily assembled, which is relatively easy to maintain, and which may be readily disassembled when it is no longer needed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a fence post which may be reused if desired, which is simple to manufacture, extremely durable, and relatively low in cost. These and other particular objects of the present invention will be further described and detailed in the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a fence post particularly illustrating the octagonal design of the post, the registrable alignment of apertures, and the detachable cap end.

FIGURE 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the post of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a partial horizontal section through the post showing a flexible line anchored thereto.

FIGURE 1 illustrates an octagonal fence post which is preferably constructed of steel or similar metal in order to provide the desired rigidity and strength.

The drawing of FIGURE 1 illustrates a post generally numbered 10 of elongated, hollow, octagonal construction having apertures extending therethrough along four of the eight sides of the post 10. The post 10 has sides, four of which are shown, and which are numbered 12, 14, 16, and 18 in the drawing of FIGURE 1, the other four sides of the post being shown in FIGURE 2 and numbered 20, 22, 24, and 26.

As will be apparent in order to provide the necessary line posts and corner posts for the construction of a fence, it is desirable to have elongated posts usable either as line or corner posts. Apertures are provided in at least three sides of the post, four sides being preferred. The apertures of any side aligned longitudinally of the post, opposed sides having the apertures registrable. The apertures are related both in line and angularly, a pair of apertures such as 54 and 72 at right angles to each other being perpendicularly registrable.

The posts are intended for use with fences of varying heights, apertures in any side such as 16 extending spacedly from a point adjacent the base portion of the post which is embedded in the ground, concrete, or other imbedding material to a point near the cap end of the post and the line, wire rope or other restraining means being led through the desired apertures. As is apparent from the drawing of FIGURE 2, the aperture 28 of the side 16 is planar with and registrable with the aperture 30 of the side 24. The aperture 32 of the side 12 is planar and registrable with the aperture 34 of the side 29. The apertures of the sides 16 and 24 are at right angles to the apertures of the sides 12 and 20. Therefore, a particular post may be used as line or corner post without modification of the post.

Where a line, cable or wire rope means 38 is led through a corner post, the line 33 makes a degree change in direction. The post 10 includes an internal member 36 in the form of a cylinder which may be a pipe or tube, or a cylindrical rod rotatable against an interior side of the post. For example, a cable means 38 such as is shown in FIGURE 2 of desired strength and diameter is inserted through an aperture such as 32 in the side 12, around the cylindrical means 36 and out through the aperture 28 in the side 16. Preferably the line 38 is relatively flexible since it may be readily tightened from one dead end corner post by means such as a turnbuckle as will be described.

3 a Where the post is to beused as a line post, the cable such as 38 would extend through opposed apertures such as 32 and 34 along a chosen direction. By utilizing the preferred construction shown in. FIGURE 2, it has been found that the octagonal post, may beused as either line posts or corner posts with'equal facility and success.

When the desired number of line and corner posts have been imbedded. in the soil, concrete, or other 'imbedding. medium in the desired spacing and order, the wire cable such as'38 'is' connected to an end or corner tute the fence arrangement. brought through the terminal end post, the cable may '10 post and led throughthe remaining posts which consti I When the cable. has been be tightened for the entire fence by providing sufiicient pull. As will be readily apparent, because of the unique rotatable tube 36 in rotatable engagement with an inner side within the corner posts, the cable 38 may be pulled taut without frictional engagement of the rope or cablev 38 against the. sides of the apertures of the corner posts. As is apparent from the drawing of FIGURE. 2, the diameter of the rotatable tube 36 is suflicient to enable the cable 38 to travel in a comparativelystraight line through the aperture 32 around the tube 36.and in a relatively straight line outwardly through" the aperture 28 to'prevent the binding of the cable 38 against the sides of the aperture which ordinarily would occur. In

other words the rotatable tube provides a curved surface in tangential relation to the apertures 32 and 38 which are angularly related. It should be further pointed out that the rotatable tube 36 rotatably moves across the inner surface of the side against which it is located Within the corner post to enable the cable 38 to be more easily tightened.

In preferred construction the rotatable tube 36 may be left unsecured at its ends within the corner post and is held in rotatable engagement with the inner side of the corner post by the wire rope or cable 38.

Suitable fastening means such as clamps 39 are secured to the ends of, the cable 38 either internally or' externally of the post serving as the dead. end post. The clamps. obviously serve to hold the .cable38' in desired tension. I a Q The upper end of the post is capped by an octagonally peaked cap generally numbered 40ofsuificient size to accept the upper extremity of the post 10 within the cap rimedge 42. The peaked constructionof the cap 40 enables the cap to readily shed snow and rain] away from the pole or post 10, the. cap being readily removable and replaceable as desired.

The drawing of FIGURE '1 illustrates a corner post having wire cables or ropes 44; 46, 48; 50',v and 52 extending internally into the post in one direction through apertures 54, 56, 58, 60;, and-62 in one direction and' projecting or extending outwardly from the post-"in a" ninety degree change of direction from apertures 64, 66, 68,70, and 72.

Itis presumed that because theposts are interchangeably usable either as line 'or corner posts that furtherdrawings and description are not required. 7

While I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiments of my invention, I' desire to have .it under. stood that obvious changes and modifications may be (c) at least: an opposed end portion of each said post adapted;to be imbedded in soil or concrete,

(d) said posts including, sideshaving axially aligned c 4- I spacedapertures extending therethrough said sides intermediate said base and cap end,

' (e) some said apertures being in opposed relation to each other and some said apertures being in angular relation to each other;

( a flexible line such as: a wire ropev extending through opposed'apertures in said' line posts and angularlyrelated apertures in said corner posts,

(g) cylindrical rotatable means rotatably 'engageable against an inner. side surface of said corner posts,

(/1) at least portionsoflsaid cylindrical tube being in generally tangential relation to said angul'arly related apertures, j

(i) said flexible line extending through said angularly related apertures having portions tangent to said cylinderv and slidably'positioned; by said cylinder in non-engagement with the sides of. said apertures, whereby thedirection ofextensionof said line is changed, a

" (j) securing. means whereby the one end. of said line.

is secured to one end post. of, said. fence,

(k) said line being adapted to be pulledztaut without frictional engagement and cutting of said line against the sides of the aperturesat said corner posts by a pulling tension at theother end of said line,

and

(1-) means securing {said other flexible line endto a said endpost.

2. A fence post including:

(a). 'an elongated hollow post member,

(b). said post. member including spaced generally radially extending apertures angularly spaced' ninety degrees apart, I I

(c) elongated means" within said post member on an axisparallel to theaxis of said post member engagea'ble' with the inner surface of said postmember between said apertures and having a curved exterior surface in: generally tangential relation to said" angularly relatedapertur'es, v

a (d) said curved exterior surface being adapted to guide a flexible-line entering one of said apertures through .an angular distance of substantially'ninety degrees and out through the other said aperture,

7 (e) said apertures being substantiallyon a common plane. normal to theaxis of the post member.

3. The structure of claim 2 and in which said post memher is octagonal in section, said 'aperturesextending' substantially normally through two spaced sides of the octagonal post member, and said" means engages a side of the octagnoal post member between said apertured sides.-

4. A fence postincluding: I

(a an elongated hollow post member having at least" aportion of one end thereof '"adapted to be imbedded in concrete, soil and t-he;like,;

(b) saidpost member having a pair ofangularly spacedapertures therethrough arranged on substantially a common planenormal tothe postmember-axis and at an angle of materially less than one hundredeighty degrees apart,

(c), a means having a substantially cylindrical outer surface having its axis parallel to the axis of the post member within said post memberand engageable against the inner surface of said post member between said: apertures, w

(d) said means having portions of its-surface substantially tangent to said apertures when way between said apertures, V

(e) said means being operable to guide a flexible line about,itscylindricalsurface from one aperture to the: other to extend substantially radially through said;

I apertures. V V

5. The structure of claim 4 and in which said c an-- dricalmeans'is in rotatable contaetwith. the inner surface of said-post member.

positioned mid;-

6. The structure of claim 4 and including a closure for the other end of said post member.

7. A fence post including:

(a) an elongated hollow post member of octagonal cross section, I

'(b) alternate sides of said octagonal post member haviug apertures extending therethrough on an axis substantially normal to the surfaces of said sides and on a substantially common plane normal to the axis of the post member, and

(c) a means having a substantially cylindrical outer surface within said post on an axis parallel to the axis of the post member engageable against the inner surface of a side of said octagonal post member between two angularly related apertures and having its surface substantially tangent to said two apertures when positioned midway therebetween,

(d) whereby a flexible member may be guided from one of said two apertures about the surface of said cylindrical means and through the other of said two apertures to extend substantially normally with respect to the post member sides having said two apertures.

8. A fence post comprising:

(a) an elongated hollow post member having at least a portion of the post adapted to be imbedded in concrete, soil, and the like,

(12) said post including spaced apertures through said post in angular relation to each other,

(0) means within said post having a surface at least a portion of which is curved and in generally tangential relation to said angularly related apertures,

(d) said curved surface adapted to position slidably a flexible line extending into said post through one of the said angularly related apertures in one direction and extending from said post through an angularly related aperture in another direction from frictional engagement against the sides of said apertures, said angularly related apertures being in substantially the same plane,

(e) said means being cylindrical in section with its axis parallel to the axis of said post member.

9. A fence post comprising:

(a) an elongated hollow post member having at least a portion of the post adapted to be imbedded in concrete, soil, and the like,

(11) said post including spaced apertures through said post in angular relation to each other,

(0) means within said post having a surface at least a portion of which is curved and in generally tangential relation to said angularly related apertures,

(d) said curved surface adapted to position slidably a flexible line extending into said post through one of the said angularly related apertures in one direction and extending from said post through an angularly related aperture in another direction from frictional engagement against the sides of said apertures, said angularly related apertures being in substantially the same plane,

(e) said post member being octagonal in section, said apertures extending substantially normally through to spaced sides of the octagonal post member, and said means engaging a side of the octagonal post member between said apertured sides, said means being cylindrical in section with its axis parallel to the axis of said post member whereby said means may rotate axially within said post member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 565,966 Deck Aug. 18, 1896 566,601 Moyer Aug. 25, 1896 693,061 Pegg Feb. 11, 1902 891,246 Grissom June 23, 1908 1,210,111 Smith Dec. 26, 1961 

2. A FENCE POST INCLUDING: (A) AN ELONGATED HOLLOW POST MEMBER, (B) SAID POST MEMBER INCLUDING SPACED GENERALLY RADIALLY EXTENDING APERTURES ANGULARLY SPACED NINETY DEGREES APART, (C) ELONGATED MEANS WITHIN SAID POST MEMBER ON AN AXIS PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID POST MEMBER ENGAGEABLE WITH THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID POST MEMBER BETWEEN SAID APERTURES AND HAVING A CURVED EXTERIOR SURFACE IN GENERALLY TANGENTIAL RELATION TO SAID ANGULARLY RELATED APERTURES, 